London Report: ARM’s fall drags blue chip index to another drop February 4, 2014 THE UK’S top equity index fell for the 10th time in 11 sessions yesterday, as a drop in the share price of chip designer ARM kept the market near a two-month low. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed down by 0.3 per cent, or 16.39 points, at 6,449.27 points – its lowest close since ending [...]
UK’s biggest 350 firms showing a return to growth November 11, 2013 THE UK’s biggest 350 companies are mirroring the British economy’s nascent return to growth after companies on the index saw a steady rise in annual sales, fresh research out today shows. According to the latest year-end numbers from FTSE 350 firms that reported in the three months to September 2013, overall revenues are up 1.3 [...]
UK pension funds – behind the curve February 6, 2014 A fascinating graphic from Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s new UK pension report. It shows how much FTSE 350 UK pension schemes allocate to fixed income assets compared to their funding levels – and what it reveals offers a troubling insight into the management of UK schemes. As funding levels rise, the general idea behind pension [...]
Bonuses clipped by shareholder spring activism December 17, 2013 BONUSES for top executives at the UK’s biggest public companies dropped in the last financial year, as the effect of 2012’s shareholder spring rolled on. According to research revealed by EY today, bonuses for chief executive officers in FTSE 100 firms dropped 5.2 per cent in 2012-13, compared to their levels in the previous financial [...]
Bottom Line: Investors should bear in mind Bailey’s past July 7, 2014 POOR Chris Bailey. No sooner had the Burberry man swapped his cutting scissors for an Excel spreadsheet than the marauding hordes of fund management came to rain on his £20m payday parade. Bailey is unusual among his FTSE 100 chief executive peers – and his generous pay award should arguably be viewed differently by shareholders. [...]
Rolls Royce share price dives on cancelled Emirates order June 11, 2014 Shares in Rolls-Royce slumped 2.8 per cent yesterday after Emirates Airline cancelled an order for 70 Airbus jets, for which the aerospace giant makes the engines. “As a result of today’s announcement, our order book will reduce by around 3.5 per cent or £2.6bn,” said the FTSE 100-quoted firm. Rolls-Royce said it remained confident that [...]
Lamprell climbs on new contract May 27, 2014 Rig maker Lamprell’s share price shot up over seven per cent yesterday, after it said it had secured a $370m (£220m) contract with Shelf Drilling, to provide two new rigs for operations in South East Asia. The FTSE small cap-listed firm is scheduled to deliver the first rig in the third quarter of 2016 and [...]
Management consultancy tie-up as PwC and Booz & Co agree merger October 30, 2013 A big tie-up in management consultancy, as PwC – one of the big four accountancy giants – has announced a conditional merger agreement with Booz & Co. Booz's 300 partners will now have to vote that deal through in December if it is to proceed. In September PwC said that it had adjusted to a [...]
Reckitt to float pharmaceutials arm in London July 28, 2014 Reckitt Benckiser, the owner of Nurofen painkillers and Dettol cleaning products, is to spin-off its pharmaceuticals business as it focuses on growing its core consumer brands. The FTSE 100 company said yesterday that a demerger of its RBP unit would take place over the next 12 months with a separate listing on the London Stock [...]
Survey shows UK stays top for competitive tax December 2, 2013 THE UK has held onto its position as having the most attractive tax regime among peer countries, according to a leading survey released yesterday. Reforms made in recent years have markedly improved Britain’s standing and made it a more appealing to large companies, the report by KPMG said. The survey of executives at large businesses operating [...]